steep streets, dominated by gloomy turrets; in narrow entries,
terminating in dark vistas; in gloomy forests, crowded with rocky
pinnacles; in masses of struggling, mutilated men and horses; in
monstrous forms of creeping, crawling, slimy, ghastly horror. By the
side of the conceptions of Gustave Dore--_teste_ for instance the weird
pictures of "The Wandering Jew" already mentioned--George Cruikshank
sinks at times into insignificance; and yet side by side with
George Cruikshank, as a purely comic artist or caricaturist, Dore is
beneath mediocrity.

[Illustration:
GUSTAVE DORE. _From "Contes Drolatiques."_

"SERGEANT-OF-THE-JUSTICE TAUPIN."]

[Illustration:
GUSTAVE DORE. _From "Contes Drolatiques."_

"THE ABBOT OF MARMOUSTIERS."

_Back to p. 8._]

[Illustration:
GUSTAVE DORE. _From "Contes Drolatiques."_

"THE LANDLORD OF THE THREE BARBELS."]

[Illustration:
GUSTAVE DORE. _From "Contes Drolatiques."_

MONSEIGNEUR HUGON.

_Back to p. 9._]

MR. HAMERTON'S OBSERVATIONS ON CARICATURE.

Artists and art critics not unnaturally regard caricature with some
disfavour. "Art," says Hamerton, "with a great social or political
purpose, is seldom pure fine art; artistic aims are usually lost sight
of in the anxiety to hit the social or political mark, and though the
caricaturist may have great natural facility for art, it has not a fair
chance of cultivation." Writing of Cruikshank's "etchings" (and I
presume he refers to those which are marked with comic or satirical
characteristics), he says: "They are full of keen satire and happy
invention, and their moral purpose is always good; but all these
qualities are compatible with a carelessness of art which is not to be
tolerated in any one but a professional caricaturist."[7] Now all this
is true, and moreover it is fairly and generously stated; on the other
hand, Mr. Hamerton will probably admit that no artist is likely to
succeed in graphic satire, unless he be a man of marked artistic power
and invention.

While treating incidentally of the etchings of artists who have
distinguished themselves as graphic satirists or designers, with etching
itself as an _art_ this work has no concern. For those who would be
initiated into the mysteries of etching and dry point, negative and
positive processes, soft grounds, mordants, or the like, the late Thomas
Hood has left behind him a whimsical sketch of the process, which,
imperfect as it is, will